What Makes Japanese Selvedge Denim Different

What makes Japanese selvedge denim different from ordinary denim? Josh Sirlin on the closed edge, the weight, rope dyed indigo, and the five Black Bear Brand denims woven in Japan, from botanical indigo to the winter wash.

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Black Bear Brand Jeans Begin and End in Okayama

The cloth is woven in Okayama, and the jeans are cut, sewn and finished there too. Josh Sirlin on the prefecture that makes the best denim in the world.

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Twice a Year in Okayama

Denim is decided in the room, with the cloth in your hands. Josh Sirlin on his twice yearly denim meetings in Okayama: the rope dye house, the shuttle looms, and the sewing room.

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The Jeans

Shuttle looms in Okayama, a family sewing room five generations deep, and an inseam that is long on purpose. Josh Sirlin on the Black Bear Brand jeans.

Craft & Materials, Culture, Fabric Guide, Japan, Japan & Culture, DenimJosh SirlinSeptember 17, 2026selvedge jeans, japanese selvedge denim, okayama denim, black bear brand jeans, shuttle loom denim, raw denim, triple needle, black bear brandComment